Whaling Issue

Statement

March 31, 2014
Iruka&Kujira(Dolphin&Whale) Action Network

The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Japan's research whaling in the Antarctica (JARPA II) is not meeting the objectives of scientific research stipulated in Article 8 of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, in the case lodged by Australia challenging the scientific validity of Japan's research whaling.

We welcome the court's ruling, and would like to add, and strongly emphasize the point, that the initial objective of the research whaling, which was to restart commercial whaling, is now totally lacking foundation as Japanese companies already have declared to withdraw from the business.?

Considering the implementing body of the whaling, the Institute of Research Whaling, is also going bankrupt, restarting commercial whaling in the Antarctica cannot be viable, and we hope, whether research or not, no whaling will be conducted in the Antarctic seas ever again.?

Joint Statement
Disaster Recovery Funds Used to Cover the Research Whaling Debts Must Be Returned

Tokyo, November 13, 2013 – On October 5^th 2012, Greenpeace Japan and the Dolphin & Whale Action Network (IKAN) called on the Board of Audit of Japan to conduct an urgent and independent investigation into the details of the misuse of 2.28 billion yen in tsunami recovery funds under the project called “Cetacean Research Stabilization Promotion,” as well as to call for returning the funds that did not meet the initial objectives of supporting Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture (1). We also urged the board to review the injection of government subsidies into whaling operations pointing out that the Institute of Cetacean Research has excessive debts (2).

On October 31^st, the Board of Audit of Japan released a report on the findings from their earlier investigation, stating that the Cetacean Research Stabilization Promotion Project “cannot be accepted as a direct benefit to the recovery efforts and is a questionable expense spent from the disaster funds (3).”

Nisshin Maru that had been out on the fall term expedition for the Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the western North Pacific (JARPN II) since July 25th returned quietly to Tokyo's Oi futo wharf today on October 7th.
How many whales did they catch this time? To find out, we will have to wait for the press release scheduled to be released in one week...

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOKYO: The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and the Iruka & Kujira [Dolphin & Whale] Action Network (IKAN) welcome a Japanese company's decision to stop selling pet treats made from endangered fin whales.

The four organisations yesterday expressed dismay that Icelandic whaling company Hvalur hf was exporting fin whale meat to Japan where it was being manufactured into dog snacks.

The press release highlighted Japanese pet food company Michinoku Farms, which sold imported Icelandic fin whale 'jerky' as pet treats.

However, within hours of the release Michinoku Farms removed the products from sale.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AWI: Susan Millward
EIA: Paul Newman
IKAN: Nanami Kurasawa
WDC: Danny Groves

Tokyo. May 28th 2013. Today the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), and the Iruka & Kujira [Dolphin & Whale] Action Network (IKAN), expressed dismay at the sale of Icelandic fin whale meat dog treats in Japan. Although the use of Japanese-caught whale and dolphin meat in pet food in Japan has been well-documented, the discovery that Japanese pet food company, Michinoku Farms, is now producing dog snacks using meat from endangered North Atlantic fin whales killed by the Icelandic whaling company, Hvalur hf, is alarming.

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We Support the Ruling by the International Court of Justice and Welcome the Halt of Research Whaling

Disaster Recovery Funds Used to Cover the Research Whaling Debts Must Be Returned

Nisshin Maru returned to Tokyo Oi Futo Wharf

JAPANESE COMPANY WITHDRAWS ‘JERKY’ PET TREATS MADE FROM ENDANGERED FIN WHALE

Iceland Is Killing Endangered Fin Whales for Japanese Pet Treats

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